Immigration 101

Immigration 101

Immigration in the United States is complex and ever-evolving. Start here to understand the fundamental aspects of immigration policy, its history, and its impact on both individuals and the country at large. Learn commonly used terms about immigration law and how the U.S. immigration system is designed. Explore layered topics like how and whether immigrants can become citizens, as well as what individual protections look like under the law.

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How the United States Immigration System Works

U.S. immigration law is very complex, and there is much confusion as to how it works. This fact sheet provides basic information…

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Birthright Citizenship in the United States

This fact sheet explains birthright citizenship, the Fourteenth Amendment, and its interpretations. Who is…

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Asylum in the United States

Asylum seekers must navigate a difficult and complex process that can involve multiple government…

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  • Report
  • Publication Date: December 31, 2005

More Than a Temporary Fix: The Role of Permanent Immigration in Comprehensive Reform

The immigration debate once again is dominated by narrow thinking and the search for simplistic solutions to complex problems. Most lawmakers and the press have come to equate “immigration reform” with the question of whether or not enhanced immigration enforcement should be coupled with a new guest worker program that is more responsive than current immigration policies to the labor needs of the U.S. economy. All but lost in this debate have been the calls by prominent immigration reform advocates to improve and expand pathways for permanent immigration as well. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: July 31, 2005

A Lifeline to Renewal: The Demographic Impact of Immigration at State and Local Levels

Immigrant numbers should be taken in the context of native population growth or decline to better understand the impact of immigration. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: May 31, 2005

From Refugees to Americans: Thirty Years of Vietnamese Immigration to the United States

Thirty years after the fall of the Saigon government, Vietnamese Americans celebrate the fact that they have moved far beyond their refugee origins and become successful economic and political players in U.S. society. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: April 30, 2005

Ties that Bind: Immigration Reform Should be Tailored to Families, Not Just Individuals

Given the extent to which undocumented immigrants already living in the United States are part of U.S.-based families, comprehensive immigration reform must include more than just a new temporary worker program. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: February 28, 2005

Diversity and Transformation: African Americans and African Immigration to the United States

Successive generations of African immigration have continuously transformed the African American community and the sociopolitical climate of the United States. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: November 30, 2004

Remembering December 17: Repeal of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act

December 17 marks the anniversary of the 1943 repeal by Congress of the Chinese Exclusion Act of May 6, 1882. With only a few exceptions, this law barred any Chinese from immigrating to the United States, and was the first time U.S. immigration policy singled out citizens of a particular nation for wholesale discrimination. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: May 31, 2004

The McCarran-Walter Act: A Contradictory Legacy on Race, Quotas, and Ideology

The McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 ended the blanket exclusion of immigrants based on race and created the foundation for current immigration law, but imposed a racialized immigration quota system and new ideological grounds for exclusion. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: April 30, 2004

“Eating Bitterness”: The Impact of Asian-Pacific Migration on U.S. Immigration Policy

Asian-Pacific migration to the United States has had a positive impact on immigration and refugee law by contributing to the demise of exclusion acts against non-whites and of the nationality-based quota system. ( Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: November 30, 2003

The Lessons of 9/11: A Failure of Intelligence, Not Immigration Law

In the hours following the deadly terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States government took the extraordinary step of sealing U.S. borders to traffic and trade by grounding all aircraft flying into or out of the country and imposing a lock-down on the networks of transportation and commerce that are the lifeblood of our economy and society. Given the uncertainty over what might happen next, these emergency procedures were a necessary and appropriate short-term response to the attacks. Read More

  • Report
  • Publication Date: October 31, 2003

Minority Newcomers: Fair Comparisons of Immigrants and the Native Born

Comparisons of the mostly “minority” foreign-born and mostly “white” native-born populations that fail to account for the socioeconomic impact of ethnicity incorrectly suggest that place of birth, rather than minority status, is the primary factor explaining disparities between immigrants and natives. However, a more accurate – and fair – comparison of immigrants and natives within the same ethnic group suggests otherwise. Read More

America's story is an immigrant story.

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